Kenya Bans Protests Indefinitely, Citing Lack of Leadership
Nairobi, Kenya – In a move that has sparked widespread criticism, the Kenyan police have banned protests in the capital, Nairobi, indefinitely. The ban was announced just hours before a planned protest was set to take place, in which demonstrators were expected to march to the president’s office calling for his resignation over poor governance.
According to Acting Police Inspector General, Douglas Kanja, the lack of leadership has made it difficult to enforce safety protocols, leading to the decision to ban all protests. The move has been met with resistance from protesters, who claim that the ban is an attempt to suppress their right to free speech and assembly.
Recent protests in Kenya have left businesses counting losses after lootings and burnings, with at least 50 people having died since the protests began on June 18, according to the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights. The protests started with calls for legislators to vote against a controversial finance bill that proposed higher taxes amidst a cost-of-living crisis and ballooning public debt.
President William Ruto has said he will not sign the finance bill, which was passed by parliament on June 25. Last week, the president dismissed almost his entire cabinet and the attorney general, as demanded by protesters who accused ministers of incompetence, corruption, and display of opulence.
Some businesses in Nairobi remained closed on a rainy morning in anticipation of planned protests on Thursday, with police remaining heavily deployed around the central business district. Police have been accused of brutality against protesters, with former Inspector General of Police, Japhet Koome, resigning on Friday after calls from demonstrators for him to take responsibility for the shooting of protesters.
The Independent Policing Oversight Authority has also forwarded four out of 10 cases of police brutality to the director of public prosecutions with recommendations. The watchdog had recorded witness statements and directed that various police officers appear before it to give their testimony.
Kenyan police officers have a history of being accused of brutality, and a contingent of 400 officers is currently in the Caribbean nation of Haiti leading a UN-backed police mission to combat gang violence.
The ban on protests has sparked widespread outrage, with many calling for the government to restore the right to peaceful assembly. The situation remains tense, with protesters and police at odds over the future of the protests.
